


Sinterklaas

by yeaka



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Established Relationship, Holidays, M/M, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-10-11 10:06:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10462383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Sulu endangers his chance at cookies by doubting Mother Russia.





	

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Fill for “Holiday Baking” prompt on [my bingo card](http://yeaka.tumblr.com/post/153917135000/my-holiday-themed-bingo-under-cut-you-can-make).
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own Star Trek or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

The short shifts are a welcome relief of the holiday season, and Hikaru’s especially glad to come home to the rich sent of gingerbread; his quarters reek of cookies. He kicks off his shoes at the door and is already working on his tunic, and by the time he’s at the faux-kitchen counter, he’s thoroughly de-bridged. Pavel looks up to give him a broad smile, and he answers it with a warm kiss on the cheek. Pavel chuckles fondly but elbows Hikaru away.

“How’d you manage this?” Hikaru asks whilst reaching for the steaming tray. Pavel slaps his hand lightly, and Hikaru obediently drops it. 

The tiny, rectangular object on the counter that must be some sort of old school oven makes a chiming noise. Pavel immediately turns to it, opening the glass door and peering in, then shutting it again and resetting the timer. “An early gift from my parents,” he explains, just a hint of pride thrown in for good measure. “Zhey beliewe I should not be relegated to a Synzhesizer on Christmas.”

Despite last year’s celebrations, Hikaru had forgotten Pavel still celebrated that tradition. But it does explain some of the figures on the tray. They’re all carved in familiar, holiday themed shapes, though they’d probably be more convincing with icing details. Pointing to an unrecognizable, monstrous blob, Hikaru asks, “What’s this one?”

Pavel glances over his shoulder and answers casually, “Krampus.”

“Huh.”

“Huh?”

“It’s just...” Hikaru starts, before simultaneously realizing he’s about to go down a bad road and it’s too late to stop it. “...I, uh... thought you’d be making Russian stuff.”

Predictably, Pavel stiffens right up and snaps, “I _am_.”

“Well... Krampus is more celebrated in... like... Germany and Austria and a few other European places...”

“Only because they copied it from Russia,” Pavel insists, with that sort of look on his cute face that dares Hikaru to say otherwise.

Even though Hikaru _knows_ he should shut up, he prods, “No, Russia has Ded Moroz and Snegurochka...”

“ _No_ , Snegurochka is _Krampus’_ granddaughter—”

He distinctly remembers looking this all up the first winter he and Pavel ever shared together. And he’s never been one to conflate concepts like a certain someone he knows. He gently tries, “Pavel, I think maybe—”

“How would you ewen know?” Pavel crossly interrupts. “You’re Japanese.”

“I’m American.”

“And you’ll be going hungry if you don’t stop denying galaxy-renowned Slavic folklore.”

Hikaru firmly shuts his mouth. Whatever he was going to say dissipates in the back of his head. He gives himself a mental kick; he should know by now better than to get between Pavel and a Russian story, even a thoroughly incorrect one.

He reaches for the tray again, but Pavel cries, “Hikaru, zhey’re not ewen iced yet!” And he promptly abandons his miniature oven in favour of shoving Hikaru back out into the hall, even without his shoes.


End file.
